Bio
Born in Leyden, Zuid province, Holland, in 1926. In 1943 he enters the Leyden Fine Arts academy attending night drawing courses, continuing them at the la Hague Fine Arts Academy. In 1947 decided not to join the army in Holland, moves to Venezuela; first in Maracaibo. In 1948 moves to Coro. In 1951 he establishes a small furniture factory in Caracas and begins in sculpting his first work ‘Sat woman’ In 1955 begins teaching in drawing at the architecture and urban planning at the Universidad Central de Venezuela. In 1958 he moves to Grenada for a short time. In 1961 he moves back to Holland. Via Boston taking part in a painting and design show. In 1964 works at the Pieter Starreveldt Foundry, Holland and finally returns to Venezuela.
In 1965 he settles in the Hacienda la Trinidad sugar mill ruin, near Baruta. In 1970 the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas edits the book ‘ Cornelis Zitman’, related to his first exhibition in the country.
